Choices
by Amberle-chan
Summary: We all make choices that we deeply regret. Yet, sometimes the choice we regret the most can later result in happiness and love. This is an AoshiMegumi fic. Please don't forget to leave a review!
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer**: Rurouni Kenshin and all of his honorable friends are owned by Watsuki-san. I'm just letting my imagination take them for a little ride...

**Author's Notes**: Once again, I must thank Eriesalia for agreeing to beta read this fic. She's been a great help to me in beta reading most of my stories.

I must also thank Firuze of the RK Dreams Forum. She provided me with some of information about traveling in Japan during the Meiji era and some general geographic information about Japan. Any mistakes that I make in this story about traveling and Japan's geography are purely my own.

This story begins a month after Kenshin and his family and friends had their picnic on Mount Ueno, which takes place at the end of the manga.

_Choices_

By Amberle-chan

Chapter One

"Will I never find peace?" Aoshi Shinomori thought to his himself as he read the note in his hands for the fourth time. Normally, when such a message was put into his hands, he would have been on his way out of Kyoto immediately, but he still found himself staring at the piece of paper for several minutes, wondering if those he loved would forever be paying the debts for his past mistakes.

He reflected back on the last month since the picnic in Tokyo. He had actually enjoyed himself in the company of the Himura family, Megumi Takani, and Misao, even though he had spoken little, surprised that he now felt comfortable in the presence of all these people who called him "friend." It was even more shocking that they chose to think of him so highly, considering the immense pain he had caused them all in the past. It was their acceptance of him that had helped him move further into his own self-discovery that pain could be healed and forgotten, bringing him a new-found sense of peace and contentment.

Until the note had arrived early that morning, he had thought that he had finally found the peace he had been seeking for so long. This simple piece of paper was a reminder of one of his past mistakes, one which could never be forgotten, a responsibility that would he would carry until his death.

After he read the short letter one more time, he went to his room and began to pack. It was time to leave the Aoiya and go to Hokkaido, but he also knew that this time he could not go alone. He had to have help, but none of the Oniwabanshuu was capable of giving him the help he required. He needed special help, and he knew of only one person who could help him. Before he could go to Hokkaido, he would need to stop in Aizu first.

After he finished packing, he went to the Aoiya staff kitchen, looking for Okina, Misao, and the rest of the Oniwabanshuu, to let them know of his intentions and to say farewell. He was through with not telling people goodbye when he left; doing so in the past had caused too much pain. It was a mistake he never intended to repeat again.

Okina, Misao, Shiro, and Omasa were the only ones in the kitchen.

"Where are the others?" Aoshi asked.

"Kuro and Okon went to the market," Misao replied. "Is something wrong?"

"I must leave immediately for Hokkaido."

"Hokkaido?" Okina asked. "This is very sudden."

"I am summoned there."

One of Okina's eyebrows rose. Of all the Oniwaban, he was the only one who knew of Aoshi's reasons for traveling to Hokkaido, and it was a secret he had sworn to keep. All the others knew was that he went to Hokkaido at least two times a year, and that he always returned to Kyoto within a month.

"I may not be back for some time," Aoshi informed them. "It may be longer than a month this time."

"Winter will soon be here, Aoshi-sama," Misao said. "It's probably already winter up in Hokkiado. Are you sure that you cannot wait?"

"No, I must go immediately. And if it is still too difficult to travel, I will remain there until the spring," Aoshi answered.

Misao smiled sadly at him. She had given up asking him why he traveled to Hokkaido years ago, finally realizing that he would never tell her. "We will miss you, Aoshi-sama," she said.

Aoshi's face remained impassive, but his soul let just a trace of the deep sadness he felt darken his eyes. His trips to Hokkaido had been the reason he had always rejected the love she so freely gave him. He was unworthy of her love because of the responsibility he carried. She was also too young to help him, and still too young to understand. And if he ever revealed the truth, he knew that she would feel betrayed, her heart broken past the point of healing. He had betrayed her once to that near-breaking point; he would not do so again. How could he possibly allow himself to love her if he could never tell her of the burden of his heart?

"I will be back as soon as possible," Aoshi assured her. "Until then, farewell."

"Be safe, Aoshi-san," Shiro and Omasa said together.

"Have a safe journey, Aoshi-sama," Misao wished him. "Please be careful."

Aoshi nodded, bowed to them all, and left.

Misao stood up and walked over to Okina, who put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Will he never tell us what is in Hokkaido, Jiya?" she asked. "He always looks so sad when he goes there."

"Perhaps someday, Misao."

"He looked even sadder today."

* * *

Megumi smiled happily to herself as she began to prepare to shut down the clinic. There had been very few patients requiring her medical services that morning, and slightly more than an hour after lunch, no one had appeared at all, so she decided to take up the rare chance of having an afternoon to herself and close the clinic early. She peered out of the window into the bright, early autumn sky. It was the perfect day to do a little shopping, and perhaps, if she had time, to gather some more herbs from the nearby woods before the first frost of the season settled in.

She was just taking off her smock when there was an insistent knocking on the clinic door. Sighing inwardly at the sudden loss of her shopping excursion, Megumi made her way to the clinic entrance and opened the door to find herself staring into the handsome face of Aoshi Shinomori.

"Shinomori-san!" she exclaimed, trying to hold back the wonder of seeing him on the clinic's doorstep. "I didn't know you would be visiting Aizu. You did not mention it at the picnic last month."

"No, I had no plans to then," Aoshi replied. "I need your help, Takani-sensei."

"Please come in, Shinomori-san," Megumi said as she opened the door wider to allow him entry into the clinic. "Is there something wrong?" Despite his outward cool exterior, she could tell that he was agitated about something. His deep blue eyes were troubled as they gazed back at her. The last time she had seen him so disturbed was nearly six years before at Kanryuu's mansion, on the night his men had given up their lives for his. "Has anything happened? Are you ill?"

He shook his head in reply and made no move to enter the clinic. "No, I am not ill, but I do need your help, Takani-sensei, as a physician. I need you to come with me to the monastery on Hokkaido."

Megumi's brown eyes widened in shock at this sudden and bold request. "I beg your pardon?" Megumi answered, "Why would I do that?"

Aoshi's hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. For only the second time in his life, he had to reveal his deepest secret, the one he had sworn no one else would ever know. Okina knew his secret only because he had made all of the arrangements in the first place. However, he had to inform her; it was the only way to convince her to accompany him.

"My son is ill."

Megumi's eyes widened even further in astonishment. "Your son?" she asked, not trying to hide the shock she felt from her voice. "You...have a child?"

"I will explain everything on the way," he replied. "Please, Takani-san, you are the only doctor I can trust in this matter."

Megumi took a calming breath and then stared up into his eyes, eyes that were normally cold, which were now pleading with her to go with him. "Perhaps I should make us some tea, Shinomori-san," she offered, "so we can discuss this calmly."

"No. There is no time," Aoshi stated. He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and took out a much-folded piece of paper, which he handed to her. Megumi opened the note and read the short letter contained therein:

_Shinomori-san:_

_Your son is gravely ill. We can do nothing further for him. We do not know how much longer he will live. Please come quickly._

_Satoshi Furakawa, Abbot_

She looked back up as she handed back the note to him. His fingers lightly brushed against hers, suddenly tightening around her hand. "Please, Megumi-san," he said softly. "You have some knowledge of western medicine, knowledge that the monks do not have. Perhaps you can save him. I will help you prepare whatever you need, but we must go quickly. There is a carriage waiting to take us to the train station."

She stared once more into his face, seeing something there she had thought she would never see in him. He was standing before her now, his façade of impassive coolness stripped away in his concern for his son. Aoshi Shinomori had a heart after all, and he had revealed it to her in an effort to save his son. How could she call herself a doctor and not answer his plea for help?

"Wait here," she instructed him. She turned back into the clinic and went into her office. She returned a few minutes later, and handed him two slips of paper. "One of these is a note to Dr. Nirishi. Do you know where his clinic is?" Aoshi nodded. "The note tells him that I'm going away on an emergency. Please deliver it. The other is a list of things I will need from some of the stores in town. I'll start to gather some other things together here while you get them. If I'm not here when you return, I've gone to my house to pack."

Aoshi's blue eyes softened with gratitude. "Thank you, Takani-sensei," he said with a deep bow before he hurried away down the street toward the main part of town.

* * *

Two hours later, Aoshi knocked on the door of Megumi's small house. She opened the door immediately and grabbed some of the many parcels that Aoshi was carrying to lay them out on a nearby table. "Were you able to get everything?" she asked as he entered the house. He nodded. "The monks probably have some of these already, but I'd rather be overly cautious in this case." She paused for a moment before looking up at him. She could feel his intense anxiety to leave, but she had a few more things to pack first. "Did Dr. Nirishi say anything about my leaving?"

"He said that he will glad to see your patients while you are away."

Megumi pushed some of her hair away from her face as she went into the kitchen. Aoshi followed her. "Good," she replied. She waved a hand toward the tea kettle on the stove. "Please have some tea, Shinomori-san. I'll only be a few more minutes and then we can leave."

"No, I'll go get the carriage," Aoshi said. Megumi turned back to reply but he was already gone.

* * *

By the time he returned with the carriage a little while later Megumi had carefully packed all of the medicines he had bought earlier in her trunk, and was laying her thickest cloak on top of the some books and other packages of herbs she decided to bring with her. She had no idea how long it would take to reach Hokkaido, but she did know that it would probably be quite cold when they arrived. She couldn't help wondering as she moved efficently around her house, packing things for this sudden and unexpected trip, wondering about Aoshi Shinomori, his son, and what that son was doing on Hokkaido and not living in Kyoto with the rest of the Oniwabanshuu. Questions flicked through her mind. How old was the boy? What was his name? Who was his mother? Aoshi had told her he would explain everything, but she had her doubts that so taciturn a man, a man who kept so many secrets, would answer all of her questions. She would have to keep her curiousity to a minimum and wait to see what he would reveal. One other question bothered her, but it had nothing to do with Aoshi Shinomori or his son. Why had she agreed to go with him without any forethought?Yes, she was a doctor, and she was answering a call to help heal someone, but this was Aoshi Shinomori after all. What had he done but cause her pain in their shared past? So why had she agree to help so readily? With no time to think over the situation properly, she shoved her question to the back of her mind to be pondered over at a later time.

Aoshi rapped on her door just as she closed the lid of her trunk. She walked hastily to the front of the house to let him in. The carriage driver was standing right behind him. "My trunk is the other room, Shinomori-san," Megumi said. "I just have to run over to my neighbor's house to let her know that I will be gone and then we can leave."

Minutes later, Megumi's neighbor was informed of her leaving on a personal emergency, her house was shuttered up and locked, her trunk placed on the back of the carriage, and Aoshi was helping her into the carriage.  
  
As soon as she and Aoshi were settled in the carriage, it set off down the street at a steady pace toward the train station. "How will we get to Hokkaido, Shinomori-san?" Megumi asked.

"I believe the quickest way will be to go to Sendai," Aoshi replied. "From there, we can take a ship to Hakkodate. From there we can either have horses or a carriage transport us to the monastery. It is a three or four day trip from Hakkodate to the monastery, depending on how fast we travel." He paused momentarily to give her a considering look. "Can you ride, Takani-san?"

"Yes, I can ride." Megumi replied.

He nodded and said nothing more. They arrived at the train station several minutes later. At the train station, he purchased tickets to Osaka and then paid the carriage driver. They sat together in silence, waiting for nearly a half-hour before the train finally came chugging into the station. A train porter carried Megumi's trunk and Aoshi's bags into a first-class compartment, leaving them alone after only two minutes.

Aoshi said nothing further during this entire time, and Megumi, knowing him as well as she did, decided not to ask the questions that were plaguing her and remained silent as well. Aoshi would explain everything to her in his own good time. She would be patient.

Aoshi appreciated her silence and admired her patience. He realized that she was very curious about his son, but he was grateful that she had not brought up the subject. He did not wish to discuss the matter until they had some measure of privacy. During the silent ride in the carriage, he watched her surreptiously and wondered briefly about her willingness to accompany him on this journey. There had no been discussion, no arguments. He had been the cause of so much of her past sorrow and pain, and yet she was willing to help him and his son. He was amazed at her kindness, something he did not deserve.

The train pulled out of the station scant minutes later, and Megumi settled into the seat across from Aoshi and watched the scenery outside the window slip by. Fifteen minutes into the trip, the conductor arrived and collected their tickets and then closed the compartment door behind him. Another two minutes of silence filled the air until Aoshi finally spoke.

"His name is Takeo."

Megumi turned her full attention to him, waiting for him to continue. Aoshi sighed and looked away, suddenly finding it hard to look at her while he explained the situation.

"Two years before the Oniwabanshuu began to work for Kanryu Takeda, I had a short liasion with a woman in Tokyo. Takeo was the result of that union. She died giving him birth."

"Then he would be about eight years old?" Megumi asked.

"Hai." Aoshi remained silent for several moments, his attention on the scenery outside the train. Megumi fidgeted momentarily before she finally let her curiousity get the best of her.

"Why is he in a monastery on..." she began to say.

"Hokkaido and not at the Aoiya in Kyoto?" Aoshi finished the question for her. He turned from the window to face her, his blue eyes burning intensely. "I did not want him brought up among other Oniwaban. It is not a life for any child. It was the mistake I made with Misao. I had never wanted her to be Oniwabanshuu, and yet she is. It's in her blood now. I did not want to repeat the same mistake with my son."

Megumi nodded in understanding. "But why so far away?" she asked. "You could have easily left him in Tokyo and no one would have known."

Aoshi's head dropped slightly, his long, black bangs hiding his eyes. "I sometimes wonder why I made that decision, but at the time it seemed the best thing to do," he replied slowly. "I did not want to take the chance that the rest of the clan would discover his existence. Hokkaido seemed a far enough distance away to make sure that that would never happen. Okina is the only other person besides yourself who knows of Takeo. He helped arrange for him to live at the monastery."

Megumi nodded again. Quiet descended in the compartment. They both remained mute for a long time, each lost in their own respective thoughts. Megumi understood that Aoshi was normally a quiet man who did not speak unless he felt there was a need, but perhaps with a little prodding on her part, she could engage him in some conversation. Otherwise, the long trip to Hokkaido would be filled with endless silences. The safest topic of conversation, for now, seemed to be his son.

"Do you visit him often?" she asked softly after nearly an hour of stillness.

Aoshi had been meditating, but he did not seemed startled by her sudden question. "I go to Hokkaido two or three times a year."

Megumi nodded in understanding at his answer. He had told her all that she needed to know, just the basics of the situation, but she also felt like he was holding something back from her; he was hesitating at revealing everything to her. She sat back into the seat, making herself more comfortable. He would tell her when he was ready. The silent minutes flew by and she was just beginning to nod off into a doze, when she realized what he had not told her. One question would confirm her suspicions. She straightened in her seat and turned to face Aoshi fully. His eyes were closed; he was meditating again.

"Aoshi-san."

His eyes slowly opened. He was slightly startled by the intensity of her gaze and the use of his first name. It was something she had rarely done before.

"Forgive me for my boldness," Megumi said firmly, "but I feel I must ask this." She paused for only a second before continuing. "Does Takeo know that you are his father?"

Aoshi's head fell forward. "No," he replied quietly after several seconds of silence. "He knows me only as his sponsor who pays for his upkeep at the monastery."

"But why...?"

Aoshi then looked back up at her, his crystal eyes locking onto hers. "You, more than anyone else, know of my dishonorable past, Takani-san. I will not inflict that upon him."

"I understand," she replied. Megumi more than understood his reasons. Her own past was the one of the reasons she had chosen not to marry, despite the many suitors who pursued her. How could she let any child face the contempt of the world because their mother was a criminal?

They lapsed back into silence again.


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer:** Watsuki-san and Co. own the Kenshin-gumi. I do not. I'm just letting my imagination have its way with them...

**Author's Note**: There may be some readers who are wondering why I have Aoshi and Megumi leaving from Sendai to go to Hokkaido. Although I'm not entirely sure if Sendai was a major port in the Meiji era, I do know it had a port at one time because the first ship to travel to Europe from Japan in the 1600s left from Sendai. (It also made more sense for them to travel northward instead of going back down south to Yokohama or Osaka and then traveling back north.) This is information I found on the Internet, but unfortunately, I didn't keep the url address. If any of my information is incorrect, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Once again, I am very grateful to my beta reader, Eriesalia, for all her help and patience!

_Choices_

By Amberle-chan

Chapter Two

The next day and a half of train travel was a trial for Megumi. She was used to being an active and social person, and she found being stuck in a train very constricting. Despite her attempts at conversation, Aoshi spoke little and spent most of the time meditating. She thus found herself either looking out of the train window, but watching the endless lines of trees and the occasional stream or creek rush by soon became monotonous. She also found herself dozing at times, the rocking motion of the train lulling her into a restless sleep. At the those times when she wasn't watching scenery fly by or sleeping, she read the medical books she brought with her, but even that became tiring after awhile. After she finished another passage about how little the medical field knew about the many diseases in the world, she sighed loudly and let her head fall back against the seat.

Aoshi heard her and opened his eyes. Megumi's expression was restive. "You seem frustrated," he commented. "I am sorry I am not better company."

"No...no, it's not you," Megumi replied, although secretly she wished he was willing to speak more. It wasn't that Aoshi was a bad conversationalist; he was far from that, but his reluctance to converse could be grating at times. And both being intelligent people, there was so much they could talk about. "I was just wishing that monk had been more forthcoming in that note he sent you. Even if he had mentioned one or two of the symptoms your son has, I would have a better idea of what I may be up against."

Aoshi's eyes flashed momentarily with anxiety. "You are concerned that you may not be able to treat him."

Megumi turned her full attention on him, knowing that the man sitting across from her would not accept anything less than the truth. "In all honesty, yes," she stated firmly. "Most monks are excellent healers. In some ways, their herb lore surpasses my own. I'm very surprised that they were unable to treat Takeo themselves."

"Yet you have knowledge that they don't," Aoshi said. "When you combine your expertise with theirs, you will be able to help Takeo."

Megumi's head fell forward, her hair hiding her face in its shadowy recesses. "I hope your confidence in me is not unfounded, Shinomori-san."

"It is not," Aoshi said sharply. Megumi's head snapped up. Aoshi was staring at her, his eyes openly conveying that he fully believed in her abilities. "I have seen you take care of others, Takani-san, some of whom were very close to death. Himura would not be alive today but for you. I asked you to come with me because I know that you will take care of Takeo in the best way that you can."

Aoshi closed his eyes again, indicating that he did not want to speak on the subject any further. Megumi gazed at him in shock, surprised that he trusted her so much. She opened her book once more to learn all that she could, determined not to disappoint him.

* * *

When they finally stepped off the train and onto the station platform at Sendai late on the afternoon of their second day of travel, Megumi immediately began to stretch her tired and cramped muscles. She had never been overly fond of traveling in trains or carriages because she found their small spaces too confining. It was the one of the reasons she had learned to ride horses. She hoped that she could convince Aoshi to travel by horse to the monastery from Hakodate.

She and Aoshi quickly found a inn where they rented rooms for the night. After seeing that she was settled in her room, Aoshi hurried off to the port to ascertain when the next boat would be leaving for Hokkaido. He returned to the hotel two hours later. Megumi immediately sensed his agitation as he entered her room.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I was hoping there would be a boat leaving early tomorrow with the morning tide, but there won't be another ship leaving for Hokkaido until the day after tomorrow and not until the evening tide." Aoshi replied. His hands clenched and unclenched. "It's another day that Takeo may be closer to death... ."

Megumi touched his arm gently, trying to calm him. To others around him, he may have still seemed impassive, but not to her. She knew him too well and despite his calm exterior, he was now openly showing emotions that he had rarely revealed before. "Perhaps we can hire a boat by ourselves in the morning, Aoshi-san," she said, "convince a local fisherman to take us."

Aoshi shook her off. "Don't you think I already tried that?" he answered angrily. "The winter storms have begun; none of the local fisherman are willing to go as far as Hokkaido."

Megumi ignored his frustration; although it so unlike him to express emotions, it was understandable. His only son was ill after all, and she had never met any parent who would not be angry or upset at the situation. "Then I will pray that Kami-sama keeps Takeo safe until we get there, Aoshi-san. We must be patient," she said gently. She laid her hand on his arm again. "Come. We haven't had a decent meal in two days. Let's go get some dinner." He began to refuse her, but Megumi would not be put off. "Doctor's orders," she commanded, leading him out of the room.

Instead of getting dinner at the inn, Megumi insisted that they have dinner at a nearby restaurant. Aoshi did not speak at all during the short walk, but Megumi could see that Aoshi was still upset about his angry outburst in her room. Between his impassioned plea for her to accompany her two days before and his obvious aggravation that they could not get to Hokkaido as soon as possible, she was beginning to realize that despite his impassive, icy exterior, he did have emotions, but he had chosen not to let emotions rule him. It seemed that only under situations of extreme stress that those emotions were revealed. It was a pity that he so rarely reacted to stress at all. She actually liked him a bit better when he was more open; he was more human.

Megumi had a feeling that he would not speak at all while they ate if she did draw him out. She decided to talk him about what she considered a safe subject.

"Please tell me about Takeo," she said.

Aoshi closed his eyes as his chopsticks hovered over his tofu. He had hoped for a silent meal so he could begin to re-center himself, but considering the woman sitting across from him, he supposed it was just not possible. She had given him plenty of patience while they had been cooped up together on the train, but now that they were out in the open, he guessed that that patience had run out.

"Takeo is a good boy," Aoshi answered.

Megumi smirked. He was not going to make this easy on her. "Any father would say that about his son, Aoshi-san," she commented. "You're not telling me about _him_."

"What would you like to know?"

"What is he like? What does he like to do?"

Aoshi snatched up a piece of tofu and ate it before he replied. "He is very studious."

Megumi swallowed her rice. "Well, that is not surprising considering where he is," Megumi said. "Come on, Aoshi-san, I know that you do not see him that often, but surely you know something about your own son."

Aoshi sighed and closed his eyes. An image of Takeo flashed in his mind. "He is particularly fond of animals." Megumi nodded at him, indicating that he should elaborate. "Takeo likes to play with animals. He likes to take care of them. The monks have taught him that all things are equally important and should be respected. It's a lesson he's taken to heart. At times, the abbot has complained about all the animals he keeps as pets."

"What's the most unusual pet he's ever had?"

"A badger."

Megumi gulped. "A badger? He's also very brave, isn't he?" She smiled at him. "Like father, like son, huh?"#****

Aoshi's eyebrow arched upward at her compliment, but he decided not to comment on it. "He was not permitted to keep it for long."

"So what other pets does he have?"

Aoshi launched into a list of animals that his son had had in his possession the last time he had seen him. The conversation then turned to the various traits of wild animals and then Aoshi actually asked Megumi about her knowledge of using animal internal organs for medicinal purposes. Megumi smiled secretly to herself. Her prodding had worked; eating dinner with Aoshi wasn't going to be dull and silent after all.

* * *

The next morning once Megumi awoke, had bathed, and eaten breakfast, she went in search of Aoshi, but knowing his habit of early morning meditation, she wasn't a bit surprised to not find him anywhere in the inn. She then returned to her room and began to go through all the medicines and herbs she had brought along with her. She was very sure that she had everything that she could need, but quickly decided that it was best if she also visited some of the herbalists shops in town. One never knew what medicinal herbs a local herbalist might have. Throwing on a warm cape because it was a bit chilly, she went downstairs and asked the innkeeper where she could locate some of the local herbalists. The innkeeper gladly told of her of one or two shops, and Megumi stepped out of the inn into the late morning sunshine.

She never saw Aoshi as she began to walk down the street. As was his usual habit, he had awoken at sunrise and gone to the local temple to meditate. However, he found it difficult to do so, all of his thoughts centered on his sick son. He found himself praying for Takeo's health and that he and Megumi could arrive in time so she could treat him. He left the temple earlier that he usually would have and walked back to the inn.

He was just approaching the inn's yard when Megumi emerged and began to stroll down the street in the opposite direction. Wondering where she was going, he began to follow her. He could have easily caught up with her, but quickly deciding to use the opportunity as a training exercise, something he had not practiced in far too long, he kept far enough away that she could not detect him but he could easily keep her in sight.

Aoshi was slightly surprised when Megumi bypassed all of the novelty shops and dress shops that most women frequented. In fact, she didn't even bother to stop and peer into the windows of the shops and stalls that lined the busy street. His curiosity aroused even further, he continued to follow her for several more minutes until she entered a tiny shop that was crammed in between a silversmith and a pottery shop. Even from the distance he was from the shop, he knew instantly that she had gone into a herbalist's store from the sharp intermingling of scents that were carried to him on the chilly autumn breeze.

"Ever the doctor," Aoshi thought to himself. She was obviously adding to her medicinal stores before they left for Hokkaido. He found himself being grateful that she was doing everything she could to help a little boy she had never even met. Once again, he mused briefly why she had so readily agreed to accompany him, considering all of the times he had hurt her in the past. He watched the storefront for several moments from the shadows of an alley across the way, and then quickly decided to leave. His questions about Megumi's destination had been answered; it was time to return to the inn.

Aoshi emerged from the shadows just as Megumi stepped out of the shop, a small bag containing herbs clasped in her hand. She did not see him and began to walk back the way she had come. He decided to continue his exercise of following her.

Megumi took her time getting back to the inn. The small herbalist's store had been a treasure trove of local herbs, some of which she would never have found back in Aizu. After buying a small amount of the herbs she did not possess, she decided that she now had some time to look at the shops that had passed on her way here. She knew she would not be able to buy anything given where she was headed the next evening, but it could not hurt to look.

Aoshi watched as Megumi now stopped to look into various store windows and shop stalls. She only lingered at one stall in particular, where she paused to finger a heavy wool cape for a few moments. As she stepped back into the street, she was suddenly jostled and pushed by the crowd. She almost tripped and quickly regained her footing, but not before she was shoved again, this time very hard. Aoshi knew instantly what was going on, but he was too far away to prevent the men that suddenly surrounded Megumi from surreptitiously maneuvering her into the alleyway next to the shop. He mentally berated himself for a moment; he had been so focused on following her that he had failed to notice the men who had stopped to watch her as well when she had halted at the clothing store. In an instant, he was sprinting toward the alleyway.

After she was pushed hard the second time, Megumi could not help but stumble into the alleyway next to the clothing store. The bag she was carrying dropped from her hand and she bent to pick it up.

"Damn rude people around here," she muttered to herself as she rose, and then realized that people who were impolite were the least of her problems as she found herself confronted by three men, one of whom was holding a club.

"You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?" one of them sneered. "Haven't seen you before."

Megumi did not reply but stared back defiantly at them as she backed up against the wall. She was not about show these ruffians that she was frightened of them. She dropped the bag of herbs and prepared herself to fight back. She knew she could never defeat them, but she could make sure that they had lots of bruises and abrasions for their trouble.

"Come on, honey, we promise to play nicely," a second man chuckled darkly.

"You will leave her alone," an icy voice suddenly commanded.

Megumi's eyes widened as Aoshi stepped into the alleyway and her shoulders sagged in relief. Aoshi would drop these three before they even realized they were being attacked.

The man holding the club barely had time to turn around before the tall onmitsu hit him across the neck and he fell to the ground. Aoshi then kicked out, his foot connecting with the second man's sternum; he also crumpled to the ground.

"Why...you," the third man growled as he ran toward Aoshi, fists clenched. Aoshi easily moved out of his way as he slipped his kodachi sheath out of his black coat. The sheath slammed upward into the man's throat and he too fell to the ground.

Aoshi turned to Megumi. "Are you okay, Megumi-san?" he asked.

She turned wide, staring eyes toward him as she moved away from the wall. "Yes," she replied shakily. She took a deep breath to calm herself and then picked up the precious bag of herbs. "How did you know I was here?" Then her eyes narrowed as she remembered the person to whom she was speaking "You were following me, weren't you?" she demanded.

Aoshi did not reply.

"I don't believe this!" Megumi exclaimed. "You were following me! I don't need a caretaker, Aoshi Shinomori!"

Aoshi pointedly looked down at the comatose men lying at their feet. "You obviously do," he replied calmly.

Megumi gritted her teeth and whirled around to leave the alley, but not before she aimed a savage kick at one of the men who had attempted to assault her moments before. One of Aoshi's eyebrows arched upwards at her actions, but he did not say anything further as he slipped the kodachi sheath back beneath his coat and followed her back into the street.

They did not speak as they walked side by side back to the inn, but Aoshi kept glancing at her, studying her. At first, he could tell that she was furious because of the intense set of her shoulders, but as they continued to walk down the street, her shoulders began to slump and her head to sag downwards. He was beginning to wonder what had caused to lose her anger so abruptly when they reached the inn. He reached around her to open the gate for her, when he was startled by the brush of warm fingers against own. He stared down at her, his eyes questioning.

"I'm sorry, Aoshi-san, for being so ungrateful," Megumi said, her face hidden in the folds of her hair. Her eyes rose. "Thank you for helping me."

He briefly clasped her slender fingers in his own. "I'm glad you're safe, Megumi-san," he replied softly, his eyes intent on her face. He let go of her hand and Megumi walked into inn's yard. Aoshi followed; he never even saw the light blush that crept across Megumi's cheeks.

* * *

Aoshi arose the next morning to a cold, rainy dawn. Foregoing his usual meditation, he hurried down to docks to make sure that the steamship he had booked Megumi and himself on would still leave on the evening tide despite the inclement weather. After the ship's captain assured him that they would leave on time no matter what the weather due to their own deadline in reaching Hakodate, Aoshi returned to the inn. He then made arrangements with the innkeeper for a carriage to transport Megumi, himself, and their luggage to the docks late in the afternoon.

He then climbed the stairs to Megumi's room and knocked on her door. She told him to enter, and he found her sitting by the western style desk, reading one of her medical books by the dreary light pouring through the window, and sipping a cup of a tea. Her eyes looked pinched, as if she had been reading for a long time.

"You must find that tedious at times,"Aoshi commented as she closed her book.

"At times," she replied, "but I have to keep up. Medicine is an ever-changing field. New discoveries and cures are made every day. In many ways, Japan's medical field is far behind Europe and America. Probably because we closed ourselves to the world for so long." She stood up and stretched. "Not that Japanese medicine is completely backwards. We have made our own discoveries along the way. It just seems that the Europeans are more advanced."

"America is a young country; therefore, its people are not afraid to try new things." Aoshi answered. "Japan is much older and still clings to its traditions."

"Well, I prefer the new era. It's allowed me to be more open and learn as much as I can, about both Japanese and American medicine," Megumi said. "Using the knowledge of both, I should be able to help Takeo."

Aoshi's expression softened. He had still not thanked her properly for willingness to help Takeo, and in doing so, help him as well. Megumi was startled when he suddenly bowed. "I want to thank you for coming to Hokkaido to take care of my son, Megumi-san," he said solemnly.

Megumi was discomfited by his actions, because she could not even remember the last time she heard Aoshi Shinomori express gratitude for anything, so she gave the only reply she could. "I am happy to help in any way I can," Megumi replied, bowing slightly in return. Aoshi-san nodded in reply, and Megumi pointed toward her trunk. "I'm all packed," she said. "Will we still be leaving today?"

"Yes. I've arranged for a carriage to pick us up and take us to the docks late this afternoon. The ship should leave just around sunset."

Megumi looked out the window to the cold, gray sky. "I hope this weather clears up before then," she said. "I'm afraid I don't do very well on rough seas."

"Perhaps we should eat lunch now, then, instead of later," Aoshi suggested. Megumi agreed.

* * *

Hours later, Megumi stepped out onto the ship's deck, dressed in one of her heavier kimonos and cape, her hands enveloped in gloves. The stormy weather had cleared just as she and Aoshi had left the inn, and the sunset as the ship left the Sendai port behind was absolutely spectacular, turning the leftover rain clouds bright oranges, pinks, and reds. She watched it by herself, because Aoshi had retreated to his room to meditate. Little more than an hour later, the ship had made its way down the Sendai river and out into the open ocean. She ate a small supper by herself in her room and then decided to go up on deck for a walk.

Megumi breathed in the sharp tang of the sea air. It was a clean scent, one that she savored when she had the chance to be out in open water. She began to walk down the deck, despite the cold bite to the air, smiling softly to herself. Being on the ocean always brought her a sense of peace as well, especially when the water was calm as it was now. She strolled slowly, taking her time as she looked up at the star-filled heavens. Then as she reached the ship's bow, she spotted the tall, solitary figure of Aoshi Shinomori. She halted her steps and stared at him. He was leaning against the ship's rail and gazing out over the indigo sea.

For a moment, Megumi couldn't help thinking that he looked lonely. It was a surprising thought. Although Megumi knew that Aoshi spent most of his time alone through his own choice, she had never thought of him as a "lonely" person. As she gazed at him now, she began to wonder if she had been wrong in her assessment. Given his temperament, the few close friends he had lost, and other friends he had once betrayed, she surmised that Aoshi Shinomori could indeed be a lonely man.

Megumi approached him slowly and moved to stand a few feet away from him. He did not acknowledge her presence, but she realized that Aoshi knew she was there. She did not say anything for several minutes as they stared at the ocean together. A bare sliver of moon cast its light on the waves, almost lost in the rippling water. She looked up at him, and knew he was not meditating, but thinking. His eyes had a faraway look, as if he had stepped back into his past.

When Megumi finally spoke, it was in a soft whisper. "Was she beautiful?"

Aoshi bowed his head; an errant breeze rippled through his long, black bangs, pulling them away from his blue eyes. They glittered briefly for a moment before he replied just as softly. "Hai."

They stood quietly again for several more moments. It was Aoshi who next broke the silence. "Her name was Saori," he said. "She was the youngest daughter of a samurai who died during the war." Megumi could see that his lips were upturned slightly as he remembered her, but his eyes were mirroring the sadness he felt. "Her hair and eyes were midnight black. And she had the loveliest voice I had ever heard."

"She could sing?"

"Hai," Aoshi replied. "Takeo takes after her that way. He also sings well." He paused and his eyes turned away. "I sometimes wonder what my life would have been if she had lived. Would I have made the same choices? Perhaps...," his voice faltered.

He fell silent again and after several quiet moments, let his gaze fall briefly on the woman at his side. He had never spoken of Saori before to anyone, not even Okina. Megumi was unaware of his regard as she stood there, watching the waves beat their endless rhythm against the ship, her small, gloved hands lightly gripping the rail before her, waiting for him to speak again. Megumi's strength was her endless compassion, and he felt strangely drawn to it, even though she had every right not to show him any compassion at all. He reflected on these thoughts for a few more moments before he spoke again.

"Perhaps I would not have hurt all of the people that I did."

Megumi turned to face him as he spoke again, and found Aoshi's blue eyes intent on her face. She gasped slightly, suddenly realizing that he was, in his own way, apologizing to her, for all of the pain he had ever caused her. "Aoshi," she whispered, not knowing what else to say.

He did not say anything else to her, but returned his eyes to dark horizon before them. Megumi said nothing as well, but she moved closer to him, her hand briefly touching his in acknowledgment as they continued to watch the waves together in companionable silence.

* * *

****#Note: Badgers, despite their cute looks, are nasty and vicious. Keeping one as a pet can be dangerous. That's why Takeo is brave to keep one.

Shameless plug: Don't forget to read my other RK fics!


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